"On October 30th 1868, the schooner James Navagh of Oswego enroute to that port from Milwaukee with 15,045 bushels of wheat struck upon Two Rivers Point (near Two rivers, Wisconsin). The stern was carried away taking the yawl boat with it and the cabin quickly filled with water. The crew of nine including Captain John M. Griffin were compelled to crawl out on the bowsprit and jib boom to keep above water where they remained for about 10 hours before being rescued in two Mackinaw boats manned by residents of Two Rivers. Mrs. Margaret Miles, a widow from Chicago who was the cook, was brought ashore, wrapped in dry clothing, placed in a wagon and driven to Two rivers as rapidly as possible, but died immediately afterwards.

The James Navaga broke in two and went to pieces so that there was no prospect of saving anything beyond the outfit. Mister Jones and Hanson Shipbuilders of Manitowoc Wisc. purchased the wreck from the insurance company for $1,000 and recovered both anchors and a large portion of the chains, spars, etc. for use in the new vessel Louisa McDonald they were building." Mostly from Schooner Days In Door County by Walter and Mary Hirthe.

Service History

The two masted wooden schooner James Navagh was built in 1857 by James A. Baker and master carpenter James Navagh at Oswego, New York. The vessel was valued at $10,000 and rated as A2 in 1861 and her official registry number was 13304. She was rated B1 at the time of loss.